As a young aspiring science-fiction writer, I've always considered Octavia Butler my spirit guide. I went to sleep and woke up with Kindred, the Parables, and Wild Seed and tried to recruit everyone in all of my English classes to her following. Turns out my teachers weren't all so interested in the rich tapestries of… »2/12/15 12:30pm 2/12/15 12:30pm

Science fiction provides a unique toolkit for imagining how societies could be constructed differently — and for seeing how the structures that seem natural and inevitable to us are actually unnatural, says Walidah Imarisha, co-editor of a new anthology of radical science fiction called Octavia's Brood. »12/30/14 12:20pm 12/30/14 12:20pm

The meme has been going around pretty much since Star Wars first came out in 1977: Star Wars wrecked science fiction. George Lucas' extravagant space opera messed up a genre that was fumbling towards grown-up sophistication. This idea made a bit of a come-back with the Force Awakens teaser, and it's time to kill it. »12/09/14 11:45am 12/09/14 11:45am

A lot of authors tend to become more conventional over time. They get more mainstream cred, mellow out, and sand the rough edges off their work. But some of science fiction's most famous authors have just kept pushing the limits of storytelling. Here are 10 science fiction and fantasy authors whose books only got… »10/13/14 11:25am 10/13/14 11:25am

We've all seen lists of the worst science fiction books and movies, according to scientists — but what are the best? HuffPost Science reached out to 15 great scientists and asked them to name their favorite science fiction stories — and the results were pretty interesting. »8/15/14 3:40pm 8/15/14 3:40pm

It's the middle of summer — the time of year when wanderlust takes over our brains. You want to leave your home and your job and explore what the world has to offer. But here's the next best thing — 15 books that take place in science fiction and fantasy versions of the most fascinating places on Earth. »7/11/14 1:15pm 7/11/14 1:15pm

8 years ago, famed science fiction author Octavia Butler died suddenly of a stroke, leaving her latest trilogy unfinished and her fans bereft. But now, scholars are sifting through the archives she bequeathed to the Huntington Library — and one has discovered plans for the books she never finished. »6/13/14 12:37pm 6/13/14 12:37pm

Science fiction history is full of strange occurrences, and it's easy to imagine some wild alternate histories of the genre. And without some bolts from the blue, science fiction could have turned into something way less interesting. Here are 12 happy accidents that helped save science fiction. »5/16/14 11:50am 5/16/14 11:50am

Science fiction and fantasy publishing is a tough game. Even the best novels get rejected by publishers who don't understand their brave new worlds. But some authors wind up rejecting their own books. Here are 10 great authors who disowned their own creations after they'd already seen the light of day. »5/05/14 10:22am 5/05/14 10:22am

Great news for fans of Octavia Butler's mind-expanding fiction: two previously unpublished stories of hers are coming out this June, in a single volume called Unexpected Stories. »4/29/14 6:12pm 4/29/14 6:12pm

Time travel and temporal anomalies can be messy and unpleasant. When time starts getting out of whack, anything can happen. People can be born over and over, meet themselves, relive the same day, or just screw up all their relationships. Here are all the ways people get tangled in their own timelines in science… »4/14/14 10:00am 4/14/14 10:00am

Nowadays, a lot of the best TV shows are based on books, especially book series. But the amazing thing about science fiction and fantasy books is, there's always more riches to explore. We've barely scratched the surface, in fact. Here are 10 more book series that would make terrific TV shows. »3/03/14 11:21am 3/03/14 11:21am

Hollywood's addiction to remakes and reboots continues unabated, with dozens of films in development. And meanwhile, bookshelves are straining with hundreds of original, thrilling novels that have never been adapted to the screen. Here's a second dose of our list of books that should be adapted instead of yet another… »9/27/13 3:16pm 9/27/13 3:16pm

Author Octavia Butler was a national treasure — but she lived in Seattle for the final years of her life. And now, the Seattle Parks Department is seeking input on what to name a new park, and her name is one of the leading contenders. You can vote in the Parks Department Survey here.»7/03/13 4:30pm 7/03/13 4:30pm

Shane Carruth created an uncompromising mind-bender with his first movie, Primer. But with his second film, Upstream Color, he's done something harder and weirder. Upstream Color uses striking images and sounds to unmoor you from reality, even as it tells a powerful, emotional journey. No spoilers below... »4/05/13 9:00am 4/05/13 9:00am

Welcome to the deep of winter, the time when the nights are longest and you basically never want to get out of your warm bed. This is the perfect time to get sucked into a long, complicated relationship with a book series. But what book series are worth getting hooked on? We did some digging and soul searching, to… »1/02/13 10:20am 1/02/13 10:20am

Octavia Butler created some truly memorable stories and characters — and now her novels have been released as ebooks with gorgeous new cover art. Check out an exclusive look at the complete set, below. »7/09/12 12:20pm 7/09/12 12:20pm